The Contest Theme!

It's been 5 months since Steve had his island resort vacation. Where's he been!? He hit the jackpot at the island casino. Since then he's been living it up, waaay up. Besides having diamonds for breakfast, he invested heavily in emerald ore pre 1.3. Steve may be a block head but he's no square. zing! Yesterday, one point three dropped and his wealth sky rocketed! While nothing will beat his first diggy hole, he now has unlimited resources and plans to create a monumental sky limit project. Only trouble is, he's got a building block and can't seem to settle on a blueprint. In fact, he hasn't settled on the project type. It could be a modern skyscraper, medieval tower, mind boggling sculpture, who knows! You do, he's contracting you to draft the blueprints and execute the build with the condition that it starts on the main island and it's taken to the limit, the sky limit.

TLDR; Welcome to the second PlanetMinecraft.com Project Contest!

The theme of this month's project contest is "Sky Limit" more specifically the Minecraft building height limit. All entries must be built on the custom map provided, download here. Projects must start on the main island, near the bottom of the world, and reach the 255 height limit. This will result in projects over 200 blocks in height.

Projects will be judged on the following criteria:

1) Concept & Originality - Think about what your building before you build. No rush.2) Technique & Execution - From attention to detail to the overall project impact.3) Presentation - Spend time presenting your project on PMC with quality screen shots and description.

Large single block towers / cheap tricks to hit the height limit will result in disqualification.

Read the following rules carefully!

1. Download and build on the custom map!

DOWNLOAD HERE!You may get as creative as you like including transforming the terrain but the primary entry must be on the main island. This contests focus is on vertical construction, not horizontal but if you really feel you need a bigger footprint, feel free to expand the main island within reason. If you're building near the flatmap, you're doing it wrong. If you hit the limit with ease, spend your time detailing as attention to detail is a major factor in the judging criteria.

how to install a custom map

Step 1: Download the custom map.

All we need to do is put the downloaded map into your own Minecraft saves folder. This technique will work on PC & Mac:Step 2: Locate the Minecraft "Saves" Foldera) Start Minecraft.b) Click"Texture Packs".c) Click "Open Texture Pack Folder".d) Go to the parent folder. One back from where you are.e) Click "Saves".

Step 3: "Install" the map:a) Open the downloaded zip file containing the custom map.b) Click and drag the folder to your "Saves" folder.

2. Constructions are original work created for this contest.

Projects entered into this contest must be conceptualized and created for this contest by you.

What's Allowed:

Creative Mode

Teamwork : You can recruit help from others but you are the mastermind / team leader. They must understand that only you can enter the final project & potentially win. If there is significant drama about who created the project, we will disqualify it.

Map Editing Tools: i.e. MCEdit, WorldEdit, VoxelSniper

Third party texture packs BUT it's important to keep in mind that others, including judges, will not have your texture pack. You're safest bet is to stick with the default pack or faithful texture packs. Using an extreme texture pack may hurt your chances of winning.

What's Not Allowed: The following will result in disqualification.

Do not use constructions created before the contest's announcement date, even if you are the original author.

Do not use 3D or 2D auto conversion / import scripts.

Do not import schematics from the past.

Do not use third party mods that introduce new blocks that are unobtainable in vanilla Minecraft.

We can disqualify at any time, including after the submission period. Do not cheat.

All of the normal rules of the site apply in this contest. Essentially summed up as; make your own work.

Submit project WITH download to PMC during entry period.

Submit Project to PMC:Take quality screenshots and submit the project like usual but check the box indicating it's for the contest. It's important to capture the highlights of your project with quality screenshots. Think of it like an actual photo shoot. Take your time and consider lighting, composition and the overall story your gallery will present to your viewers. To make it to the finalists, you will need to make an impression.

You don't have to upload your map until your finished. Feel free to post your project during development to show off what you're building and to receive feedback. Just don't forget to upload the final map before the entry period ends!

Step 2: Prepare your world for upload by compressing it into a single file.a) Right click the folder containing the world you want to upload. b) Windows : Click "Send To > Compressed (zip) folder. If you do not have this option. 7-zip is an free open source compression application. c) Upload the zipped world to a free shared host. Example: mediafire.com

Step 3: Create your project on PlanetMinecraft and include the link to the zip file in the "World Save" input field. Good luck!

One entry only:Each user will only be permitted to submit one project for this contest. You may edit your one entry as long as the contest is still running. If you decide to change your submission at any point, you are free to do so. However, you should not delete your original entry. Instead, use the "update submission" button to save the new file over your old one, and change the submission title if necessary.

Have fun!

Above all else, contests are here for the community to have fun interpreting a common theme. Take the contest theme and run with it, maybe even come up with a story to guide your work and enhance your presentation page. Remember, you have three weeks to do this. You don't need to put something up right away - and even if you chose to, you're allowed to update your submission as many times as you want before the end of the submission period on August 24th, 2012 @ 12:00 PM EST

This contest is not a random drawing - the submissions are judged by a panel of longstanding members with a great deal of experience with Minecraft projects. It will not help you to submit anything less than fantastic, so take your time.

1st Place

Prizes : $60 worth of Steam Game(s). Games will be gifted to your Steam account. Winner may choose more than one game but the total must be $60 or less. Must have a Steam account to claim prize, no substitutes.

2nd Place

$30 worth of Steam Game(s). Games will be gifted to your Steam account. Winner may choose more than one game but the total must be $30 or less. Must have a Steam account to claim prize, no substitutes.

3rd Place

$10 worth of Steam Game(s). Games will be gifted to your Steam account. Winner may choose more than one game but the total must be $10 or less. Must have a Steam account to claim prize, no substitutes.

All Participants

Phase #1: Entry Period : 3 weeks

Typically, 2-3 weeks, read rules carefully. This is the time that everyone has to create and submit a contest entry. During this time, judges are reviewing entries, anonymously voting and disqualifying those that don't meet the contest requirements. The PMC community is doing the same.

Phase #2: Review Period : 5 days

After submissions are closed, judges get 5 additional days to review late entries and cast their final votes. Their votes are heavily weighted in an algorithm that includes the community's votes and activity to determine the finalists.

Phase #3: Finalists Calculated : Judges cast criteria ratings

After the finalists are calculated, judges begin anonymously rating each entry based on the following criteria on a scale of 1-10:1) Concept & Originality - Put thought behind your work.2) Technique & Execution - Attention to detail!3) Presentation - Spent days building something, spend an hour and give it the image gallery and description it deserves.

Once the site detects that all judges have cast their ratings on all finalists, the winners are announced.

Judges will be encouraged to participate, but will be disqualified from winning prizes.Judging team is assembled over the next 3 weeks.

Legal Terms

By participating in the event, participant agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and regulations and the decisions of Planetminecraft.com are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this event.

No cash substitute or transfer of prizes is available. Prizes are awarded without warranty of any kind from Planetminecraft.com, express or implied, without limitation, except where this would be contrary to federal, state, provincial, or local laws or regulations. All federal, state, provincial and local laws and regulations apply. Decisions of Planetminecraft.com and the voting system are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this event. Return of any prize/prize notification may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Any potential winner who cannot be contacted by email within 15 days of attempted first notification will forfeit his/her prize. Potential prize winner(s) and their parents/legal guardians may be required to sign and return an Affidavit or Declaration of Eligibility, a Liability/Publicity Release within 30 days following the date of first attempted notification. Failure to comply within this time period may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Planetminecraft.com at its sole discretion shall reserves the right to disqualify any Participant from the event if it reasonably believes that the Participant has attempted to undermine the legitimate operation of the event by cheating, deception, or other unfair playing practices or abuses, threatens or harassment of any other Participants, Planetminecraft.com employees and affiliates.

Limitations of Liability:

By entering, entrants agree to release Planetminecraft.com, and their officers, directors, employees and agencies from any claim, loss, liability, damage or injury of any kind arising from their participation in the event or their receipt or use of the event prize.

Winner is responsible for all federal, state and local taxes associated with acceptance and use of prize.

Any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with this event, or any prize awarded, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, and exclusively by arbitration. Claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering this contest, but in no event attorney's fees. These Official Rules shall be governed by, subject to, and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Maine, United States of America, excluding all conflict of law rules. If any provision(s) of these Official Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect. To the extent permitted by law, the rights to litigate, seek injunctive relief or make any other recourse to judicial or any other procedure in case of disputes or claims resulting from or in connection with this event are hereby excluded, and all Participants expressly waive any and all such rights.

Disclaimer:

Planetminecraft.com will not be held responsible if for any reason the event is not capable of running or operating as planned due to infection by computer virus, fraud, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, technical failures, or force majeure that, in the sole opinion of Sponsor, corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this event. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with or abuses any aspect of the event, as solely determined by Sponsor, and to cancel, terminate, modify, or postpone the event until a later date. Sponsor assume no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, or other failure of or related to the software platform on which the event is played, including any injury or damage to participant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in this event.